Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett, Ted Lasso favourite Hannah Waddingham and Australian conservationist Robert Irwin will join Graham Norton on the sofa when The Graham Norton Show returns on Friday 23 October.
The trio will bring a mix of Hollywood glamour, comedy, music and wildlife conservation to the BBC One chat show, with singer Jorja Smith also taking to the stage to perform her current single, “Dancing”.
The episode, which airs on BBC One at 10.40pm, forms part of the show’s 34th series and follows a run of high-profile Friday-night guests including Tom Cruise, Florence Pugh, Sylvester Stallone and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Cate Blanchett returns to the Norton sofa
Leading the guest line-up is Cate Blanchett, one of Australia’s most celebrated actors and a two-time Academy Award winner.
Blanchett is no stranger to Norton’s famous red sofa, having made several previous appearances on the programme. Her career has encompassed everything from major Hollywood productions to independent and arthouse cinema, while her work has earned her international recognition as one of her generation’s most acclaimed performers.
Her appearance is likely to provide plenty of material for Norton’s trademark combination of celebrity conversation and spontaneous stories, particularly given Blanchett’s long career in film and theatre.
Hannah Waddingham brings musical and comic talent
Joining Blanchett is Hannah Waddingham, the award-winning actress and singer best known to television audiences as Rebecca Welton in Ted Lasso.
Waddingham’s career stretches well beyond the Apple TV+ comedy. A highly experienced musical-theatre performer, she has also appeared on screen in productions including Game of Thrones, Sex Education and Les Misérables.
Her Ted Lasso character, Rebecca, became one of the show’s most popular figures, with Waddingham’s singing ability also becoming an important part of her appearances in the series.
With Norton renowned for bringing together guests from very different areas of entertainment, Waddingham’s combination of acting, singing and comedy should make her a natural fit for the sofa.
Robert Irwin adds a wildlife twist
The line-up takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Robert Irwin, the Australian conservationist, television presenter and wildlife advocate.
The son of the late conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin, Robert has followed his family’s passion for wildlife and conservation while developing a television career of his own.
His appearance also brings a different perspective to the episode, giving viewers the chance to hear about his work with animals and his continuing role in the Irwin family’s conservation efforts.
The contrast between Irwin’s wildlife expertise and the acting and entertainment backgrounds of Blanchett and Waddingham should provide plenty of opportunities for the kind of unlikely conversations for which The Graham Norton Show is known.
Jorja Smith to perform “Dancing”
Adding a musical finale to the programme will be Jorja Smith, who will perform “Dancing”.
The track features on Smith’s third album, What Are The Odds, which was released in August 2026. The album marks an evolution in the Walsall-born singer’s sound, embracing UK dance music influences alongside the soulful R&B style that established her career.
Smith has described the record as music designed to make people move, drawing on genres including UK garage, 2-step, funky house, soul and Afro house. Her collaboration with producer P2J has resulted in an album that represents a notably dance-oriented chapter in her career.
“Dancing” therefore provides an appropriately energetic way to round off an episode that brings together some very different worlds of entertainment.
Another eclectic night on Graham’s sofa
With Blanchett’s Hollywood pedigree, Waddingham’s mix of acting and musical-theatre experience, Irwin’s conservation work and Smith’s contemporary R&B and dance sound, the 23 October edition promises another typically eclectic Graham Norton Show line-up.
The programme has built its reputation around putting major international stars alongside British favourites and emerging talent, allowing conversations to move rapidly between films, television, music and personal stories.
And with Norton at the centre of it all, viewers can expect the usual mixture of lively conversation, celebrity anecdotes and the unpredictable sofa chemistry that has become the show’s trademark.
The Graham Norton Show airs Friday 23 October at 10.40pm on BBC One.